Protector mechanism for looms



7, 1939@ c. J. MNDEGREN PROTECTGR MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed July 29, 193@ iff/lll 55 M wi Patented Nov. 7, 1939 estirar erstes @arl i. lllindegren, Worcester, Mass., assigner to Urempton @c Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,

a corporation of Massachusetts appellants any r9, i938. serial Nc. 221,397 is claims. (crise-...341)

l This invention relates to protector mechanism for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide for initiatingthe stopping of a loom upon failure of the shuttle to travel across the lay at a suiciently fast rate to effect a proper boxing. l t w `The usual protector mechanism for looms acts `to stop the loom if the shuttle fails to be boxed properly, the purpose being to prevent a warp l0 smash which would otherwise result by forcing the shuttleagainst the Warp ythreads when the layybeats up. Such mechanisms as heretofore made have been controlled from the shuttle box and 'the indication to stop has therefore been given comparatively late in the forward beat of the lay,` thereby causinganA abrupt stoppage of the loom. It is an important object of my present inventionto provide means for indicating a loom stoppage before the shuttle reaches the `slnittle box and "therefore make it possible to.

initiate loom stoppage when the lay is in a relatively rearward position. By operating in this way more time is allowed for arrestingthe lay and theloom is therefore subjected toa reduced shock.

`In the ordinary loom` the shuttle leaves the` shuttle box when the lay is moving rearwardly and `enters the shed when the lay is in a relatively rear position, later emerging from the :'50 shed tc approach the shuttle boX at the oppositev end ofthe lay. It is a further object of my present invention to set the loom for stopping when the shuttle enters the shed and cancel or revoke the setting so as to prevent stoppage :l5 when the shuttle leaves the shed. By this arrangement the warp threads are protected against a shuttle smash during the whole time that the shuttle is in the shed and this protectf'` ing condition is brought about by the shuttle fill itself. ln order to accomplish this result I pro.-

vide two controls, one at eachside of thevcloth being woven, both to be actuated by the shuttle. When the shuttle leaves a shuttle ,boxit will set the adjacent device in stopping position where ifi it will remain until the subsequent passage of to `provide a stopping electric circuit which` when energized will cause loom stoppage comparatively early in the forward beat of the lay. The circuit will be controlled by the shuttle while in flight and will be closed as the shuttle enters the shed and will be opened when the shuttle leaves the shed during the time therefore that the shuttle 5 is inthe Warp shed the stopping circuit is closed and the? parts set by the circuit will be in stopping position.

With these and other objects infview which Vention resides in the combination and arrange` ment of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, l5

Fig. l is a front elevation of alloom havingy my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. l on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure 20 shown in Fig. 2 taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, i

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the rotating switch carrier on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

. Fig. 5V is a perspective view of the switch po- 25 sitioner,

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6, Fig. 4,

and l Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic View of the stopping electric circuit.

Referring to Fig. 1, the loom frame l0 supports a lay L which moves back and forth as usual and is provided with a reed Il the upper end of which is held in place by a hand rail l2. rIhe lay is provided with a shuttle race I3 35 located between the shuttle boxes I4 and l5 "located respectively at the right and left hand ends of the lay. Picker sticks I6, one at each end of the lay, propel the shuttle across the lay in usual manner rst to the right and then to 40 the left, the shuttle travelling toward and entering one or the other of the shuttle boxes. Each shuttle box is provided with a binder 2!) to be engaged by a shuttle S.

The shuttle S may be of the usual form to `pass through the upper and lower warp sheds indicated by dash and dot lines Il and I8, respectively, Fig. l, to lay the weft thread designated at W. It is to be understood that the picker stick is actuated during the rearward stroke the lay and that the shuttle passes through the warp shed` during the backward motion of the lay and also during the first part of the forward motion thereof. The closing of the Shed by harness mechanism not shown and the motion of the lay are so timed that the shuttle ordinarily has time to leave the shed during the forward motion of the lay in time to reach the shuttle box which it is approaching without being forced into the warp threads by the lay. There are conditions, however, which occasionally arise to interfere with the proper flight of the shuttle, in which case the shuttle may still be in the shed when the lay reaches the point in its forward travel when further forward motion will cause a warp smash and my present invention relates to means for stopping the loom under these conditions.

In carrying my invention into eiect I provide two controllers C and C', one located at each side of the warp shed and carried by a hand rail in such position that the lower part of each controller projects into the path of the shuttle.' These controllers are located between the shuttle boxes and binders at the opposite ends of the lay, and since they are alike a specific description of controller C will suflice for both.

Secured to the hand rail is a bracket which extends downwardly to support a bearing stud 28 projecting forwardly from the bracket. Rotatably mounted on the stud is a barrel 21, preferably of electric insulating material, carrying a spring plunger 28 located in a bore 29 and urged rearwardly by a spring 30. The plunger 28 is adapted to enter notches 3l formed in the bracket 25 to hold the barrel yieldingly in one of two angular positions with respect to the bracket. A screw 82 having a head 33 is adjustable in a slot 34 in the hand rail to locate the bracket at diierent distances from the end of the lay. This adjustment is of advantage when fabrics of different widths are woven in the loom. A winged nut 39 on screw 82 holds the adjustment.

The forward part of the barrel has an enlarged recess 35 in the rear part of which is located a washer 38 to engage a shoulder 31 formed on the barrel between the recess 35 and the bore 38 which receives the stud 26. A holding screw 48 threaded into stud 26 holds the washer 35 and therefore the barrel 2 on the stud and prevents the barrel from moving forwardly, rearward motion of the barrel being limited by the lower part of bracket 25. By this construction the barrel is held against substantialback and forth motion relatively to the bracket but may have a limited angular motion about the stud determined by the pockets 3i and the spring plunger 28.

The recess 35 receives an electric switch 45, preferably of the mercury type, which is supported by a pair of resilient electric conducting carriers i8 shown. in Fig. 6. Each carrier has an arcuate upper arm 4l slotted at 48 to receive a holding screw 48 tapped into the arcuate surfaces 58 of the insulating barrel. By changing the angular adjustment of the carrier, made possible by the slot 58, the angular position of the depending arm 5l of the carrier may be varied with respect to the barrel 2l'. The lower part of the front arm 5i has a protuberance 52 which as shown in Fig. 6 projects rearwardly whereas on the rear or left hand arm the protuberancer 53 projects forwardly. One of the arms 5l is provided with a rearwardly extending pin 55.

The switch 85 as shown in Fig. 6 comprises two shells 88 and 5l each formed with a cavity or depression to receive the protuberances 52 and 53. The shells are separated by a plate B3 of insulating material having a slight perforation 64 therein through which may flow a body of mercury 85 when the switch is in such position as to place perforation 64 down or in its lowest position. The shell 68 adjacent to the outer carrier has a slight recess 86 which receives the pin 55, the latter thereby placing the switch in xed position With respect to the arms 5I and causing angular adjustment of the switch when the position of the carriers is altered as already described. The switch may be removed after the outer screw 49 is loosened sufciently to permit removal of the outer or front carrier.

When the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the mercury passes through the perforation G4 to cause electrical connection between the shells 68 and 6I, which in turn are connected through their respective protuberances 52 and 53 and the carriers therefor to wires 88 and 8|, respectively, which are held under the screws 49. When the switch is turned angularly about its axis, however, the perforation 64 rises above the mass of mercury, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to break the contact between the shells 80 and 6 l.

Each barrel 2l has attached thereto a flexible strap formed for instance of leather and designated at 15, the strap being held to the barrel by means of screws I6. The straps l5 ordinarily extend down far enough to be engaged by the shuttle when the latter passes thereunder and the contact established with the shuttle is sufficient to rock the barrel from one angular position to another.

As shown in Fig. l the controllers C and C', which more specically are the switches 45, are connected electrically with loom controlling mechanism. One side or shell of each of the switches is attached to a Wire 80, while the other side of the switch of controller C may be connected by wire 8| to a source of electric energy 82 which in turn is connected by wire 83 to an electromagnetic device, such as a solenoid 84. The latter is connected by means of wire 85 to the other side of the switch forming part of controller C.

The solenoid 84 has a core 86 controlling the position of a stopping dagger 8l moving with the lay and adapted for engagement with a regularly reciprocating knock-off element 88. When the solenoid is energized the knock-off dagger is lifted into position to engage the knock-off element 88 on the forward beat of the lay when the latter is in a relatively rear position. When the solenoid is deenergized by the breaking of the circuit containing it, the dagger falls to clear the element 88, a light tension spring 88 being used if desired to assist gravity in lowering the dagger. The solenoid will ordinarily be energized every beat of the loom to set the parts for stopping, and will rbe deenergized if the shuttle is running properly.

In operation, when the shuttle leaves the shuttle box at the right hand side of the loom for instance, it will in its passage engage the strap of controller C and rock the same in a clockwise direction. The perforation 84 of the switch 45 in the controller C will move to low position and connect wires 8i! and 85. Assuming that controller C has been rocked by motion of the strap 'l5 toward the center of the loom by the previous passage of the shuttle so that the switch of said controller C is also closed, wires 88 and 8l will also be connected, and under these conditions the circuit indicated in Fig. 7 will be closed as the shuttle enters the shed to energize the solenoid 84 with resultant placement of the dagger 8l into the path of the knock-off element 88. If the flight of the shuttle be normal it will engage the strap of controller` C before the dagger 81 on the lay reaches the knock-off element` 8S, rocking controller C in a right hand direction to break the circuit and permit the dagger to fall below the elementair. rlheloom will therefore continue to run. i i

On: the next pick` of the shuttle in the opposite direction controller C, previously opened, will be engaged by the shuttle before it enters the left hand part of theshed and the circuit will again be established by rocking of the controller C in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. The conditions are then identical with those already describedexcept that the shuttle is travelling in the opposite direction. It will be seen therefore that when the shuttle enters the shed it closes the switch at the entering side and when emerging from the shed opens the switch or controller on the leaving side. The setting of the switches in the two controllers will be similar but of. opposite hand.

l If, on the other hand, as the shuttle enters the `shed it is inovingwith a reduced rate of travel due to some defect, such for instance as a faulty pick, the dagger 8l will reach the knock-off element Bil-in the forward advance of the lay before ltheslfiuttle can rock the controller at the far or leaving side oi `the shed, and element 38 will thereioreremain in position to effect'loorn stoppage. This stoppage is initiated at a point behind that at which stoppage is begun in the ordinary protector mechanism of looms due to the fact. that the shuttle isl not required to reach its shuttle box b-efore giving an indication, the ini dioationi being given by the shuttle while the latter isin night and while the lay is in a relatively rearward position.

`While I have `shown an electric control for the loom yet certain aspects of my invention are not necessarily limited to a control of that form. The controllers C and C may be located at convenient points along the hand rail so placed as to require the shuttle to` be in such position as to avoid` damage to the warp threads before the controllersV can be rockediby the shuttle.

From` the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided` aprotector mechanism for looms rwherein two controllersl are both actuated by a single flight ofy the shuttle, and wherein the shuttle must be abletareach the controller at the far side of the fabric to permit continued weaving. It will also be seen that on any given flight of the shuttle the latter willV set one of the controllers so that it will cooperate with the other controller when the latter is actuated by the next succeeding pick of the shuttle. It will further be seen that the straps iii are relatively light and impose little or no retarding eifect on the shuttle. Again,l the stopping circuit is operative to hold the stopping dagger in stopping position during the time that the shuttle is in the shed andV that the dagger is not released by its solenoid until after the shuttle is out of the Warp shed. The controller circuit is closed by the shuttle as it enters the shed and opened by the shuttle as it leaves the shed. Furthermore, the switches can be adjusted to different angular positions to suit the speed of the loom and the controllers are located along the hand rail to accommodate the width of the fabric being woven.. The general result of the invention is that the controllers, being located between the shuttle boxes at each endof the lay, engage the shuttle before the latter enters a shuttle box or engages a binder which. it is approaching, and loom. stoppage can therefore be initiated earlier than is possible with the usual type of protector mechanism.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is: i

l. In a protector. mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move rom one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of controllers for the mechanism on the lay between the binders and each movable independently of the other by the shuttle in a flight thereof, and means jointly controlled by said controllers to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism upon failure of the shuttle to move both of said controllers prior toy a given point in the forward motion of the lay before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is rapproaching.

2. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with `a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move j" from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of spaced controllers on the lay between the binders to be moved by the shuttle at different times in a single flight thereof.

said controllers being movable independently of '1 each other by the shuttle, and means jointly controlled by the controllers to initiate operation of the stopping mechanismupon failure of the shuttle to move both of said controllers prior to a given point in the forward motion of the lay before `the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

3. In a protector mechanism for a loom havingy a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism. a pair of independently movable control- 1ers between the binders jointly controlling the` mechanism to be moved by the shuttle when the latter crosses the lay, one controller at each side of the lay, one controller to be moved by the shuttle in the early part of the flight thereof to a position tov initiate operation of the mechanism to stop the loom. and the other controller normally in position to initiate operation of the mechanism to stop the loom andV being moved by the shuttle in the latter part of a normal night thereof to a position to prevent operation of the mechanism before the shuttle enters the shuttle boxwhich it is approaching.

4i. In a protector mechanism for av loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from, one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping` mechanism, a pair of independently movable controllers between the binders each` movable by the shuttle when the latter is in flight to stopping or running position, means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both controllers are in stopping position at a given point in the loom, cycle, one controller normally instopping position and the other controller normally in running position at the beginning of a flight of the shuttle, the shuttle in the early part of a normal 'flight moving said other controller to stopping position and later in the flight moving said one controller to running position, failure of the shuttle due to abnormal flight thereof to move said one controller to running position leaving both itc controllers in stopping position before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

5. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at 5 each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of independently movable controllers between the binders for the stopping mechanism mounted on the lay and to be moved successively in any given flight of a shuttle, the second controller to be engaged normally being in stopping position and movable by the shuttle to running position, the first controller to be engaged by the shuttle in said flight being moved to stopping position, and means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both controllers are in stopping position at a given point in the forward motion of the lay due to failure of the shuttle to move said second controller to '20 running position before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

6. In a protector mechanism for a loorn having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to be in flight in opposite directions across the lay when the latter advances during a part of the loom cycle, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of independently movable spaced controllers mounted on the lay between the binders, each controller to be moved by the shuttle when the latter is in flight either to stopping or running position, said controllers to be moved successively by the shuttle in any given ight thereof so that the rst controller is moved to stopping position and the second controller is moved from stopping to running position in a normal flight of the shuttle, said second controller being normallyv in stopping position, and means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism if the shuttle fails to move the second controller from stopping to running position while the first controller is in stopping position at a given point in the advance motion of the lay due to failure of the shuttle to move said second controller by the time the lay reaches said point before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

7. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and `shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism capable of initiating loom stoppage during a flight of the shuttle, a pair of controllers between the binders jointly controlling the stopping mechanism, each controller movable independently of the other controller and movable to stopping or running position by the shuttle when the latter is in flight, means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both controllers are in stopping position at a given point in the loom cycle, the controller near the starting point of a shuttle flight being normally in running position and the other controller being normally int stopping position, the shuttle in the early part of its flight moving the first con- 65 troller to stopping position and effective in a normal flight to. move said other controller from stopping to running position at a later time in the same flight, failure of the shuttle to move said one controller from running to stopping 70 position prior to said point in the loom cycle resulting in positioning both controllers in stopping position before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

8. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box and a shuttle binder at each end thereof and across which occur successive shuttle flights in opposite directions, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of independently movable spaced controllers for the stopping mechanism between the binders, each controller movable either to stoppingv or running position by a shuttle flight, means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both controllers are in stopping position at a given point in the loom cycle, one of said controllers to be moved to stopping position and the other controller to be moved to running position on a given normal shuttle flight, and the next succeeding shuttle flight thereof moving said other controller to stopping position and moving said one controller from stopping to running position, failure of the second shuttle flight to move said one controller to running position prior to said given point in the loom cycle leaving both controllers in stopping position to cause operal tion of the stopping mechanism through said means before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

9. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box and a shuttle binder at each end thereof and across which a shuttle has flights in opposite directions, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of spaced controllers for the stopping mechanism on the lay between the binders and each to be moved independently of the other by the shuttle when the latter is in flight and each controller movable either to stopping or running position, means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both controllers are in stopping position at a given point in the forward motion of the lay, flight of the shuttle in one direction moving the flrst controller to be engaged by said shuttle in the early part of its flight to stopping position and the second controller to be engaged by the shuttle later in the same flight being moved by the shuttle to running position, the shuttle on the next flight moving the second controller from running to stopping position in the early part of said second flight and normally moving the first controller from stopping to running position in the latterpart of said second flight, failure of the shuttle to move said first controller to running position in the second shuttle flight leaving both controllers in stopping position to initiate loom stoppage at said given point in the motion of the lay before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

10. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of spaced controllers for the mechanism between the binders to be engaged successively by the shuttle in any flight thereof, said controllers movable independently of each other either to stopping or ruiming position by the shuttle, one of said controllers to be moved to stopping position on a given flight of the shuttle and the other controller to be moved to stopping position on the next flight of the shuttle, said shuttle on the next flight normally moving the first named controller to running position, and means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism if the shuttle in its second flight fails to move to running position the controller which was moved to stopping position on the previous flight by the time the lay reaches a given point in its forward motion before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

ll. In a protector mechanism 'for a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box and a shuttle binder at each end thereof and a shuttle to have flights in opposite directions across the lay, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of spaced controllers on the lay between the binders movable to different distances apart on said lay dependent upon the width of the fabric being woven, said controllers to be independently movable by the shuttle in a flghtthereof across the lay, and

means jointly controlled by the `.controller to ment of the lay when said controllers are relatively close together and said point being relatively late in the advance movement of the lay when said controllers are relatively far apart.

12. In an electric protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of electric switches between the binders each movable independently of the other either to open or closed position by the shuttle when in flight, and electro-magnetic control means for the stopping mechanism jointly controlled by the switches to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism uponfailure of the shuttle to actuate both of said switches prior to a given point in the loom cycle before the shuttle enters the shuttle box` which it is approaching.

13. In protector mechanism for a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box and a shuttle binder at each end thereof and across which occur successive shuttle flights in opposite directions, loom stopping mechanism, a pair of controllers for the stopping mechanism each movable independently of the other on any shuttle flight, and means jointly controlled by said controllers to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism upon failure during any given shuttle flight of both of said controllers to be `moved prior to a given point in the forward motiony of the lay before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

14. In protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move `from one shuttle box to the other, loom stopping mechanism, the shuttle making successive flights in opposite directions across the lay, a pair of controllers between the binders for the stopping mechanism to be positioned either in running or stopping positionby the shuttle when the latter is in flight, the shuttle on any given flight moving one only of the controllers to stopping position and on the next flight moving the other controller only to stopping position, and means to cause operation of the stopping mechanism if both controllers are in stopping position at a' given point in the forward motion of the lay before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

l5. In an electric protector mechanism. for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle `box to the other, electrically controlled loom stopping mechanism, a pair of independently movable switches on the lay between the binders spaced from each other to be engaged successively by the shuttle in any given flight thereof, each switch to be movable either to open or closed position by the shuttle while in flight, the shuttle when moving in one direction closing the first switch engaged thereby and opening the second switch and the shuttle on a following normal flight in the opposite di-` rection closing the switch opened on the previous flight andy opening the switch closed on the previous flight, and electro-magnetic means to initiate operation of the stopping mechanism when both switches are closed at a given point in the forward motion of the lay before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching due to failure of the shuttle to open the second switch normally to be engaged thereby in a flight thereof.

16. In an electric protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box and shuttle binder at each end thereof and having a shuttle to move from one shuttle box to the other, electro-magnetic controlled loom stopping mechanism, a pair of independently movable spaced switches on the lay between the binders each to be moved either to open or closed position by the shuttle when the latter is in flight, the shuttle when moving in either direction across the lay closing the first switch to be engaged thereby and opening the second switch to be engaged thereby on the same flight, one of said switches norto initiate operation of the loom stopping mechanism before the shuttle enters the shuttle box which it is approaching.

CARL J. LINDEGREN. 

